Once again, ICPA's summer regional meetings exceeded expectations, attracting not only close-to-home ICPA members but those looking to consider the host hotel or destination for a future meeting site. August meetings included the Great Lakes Regional Meeting at Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Itasca, Ill.; the West Coast Chapter Meeting at the Four Seasons San Francisco; the Northeast Regional Meeting at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.; and the Canadian Regional Meeting at The Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville.

Among the highlights were presentations by professional facilitator Tom McDonald, PhD, who spoke at both the newly resurrected West Coast Chapter Meeting and the action-packed Northeast Chapter Meeting. At both, McDonald led attendees through an energizing discussion about how to harness change and transform it into something valuable for both the individual and the organization. “My favorite quote,” says McDonald, is “the only way to predict your future is to create it yourself.”

Also in August, the Canadian Chapter Meeting in Toronto surpassed last year's record attendance, with 33 planners and 37 Hospitality Partners in attendance. The agenda was packed with invigorating topics and activities, from a speed-dating format trade show, to a scavenger hunt through the city, to presentations by four dynamic speakers.